Learning to Cope
by Drizz
Summary: This story is about a girl who has grown up with the newsies, but has never been one. When she decides that she wants to her over-protective won’t let her. How can she gain her independence without hurting him?
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1: The Fight "Drizz why do you do this?" asked Skittery I rolled my eyes, "I gots just as much right selling papes as you do," I shouted. "I don't like the idea of my little sister selling papes to a bunch of people who could hurt her!" he yelled. I was only two years younger then me, he acted like he was my father. I think. I don't really know what fathers act like, because I've had one. For as long as I can remember Skittery has been the only person who has ever taking care of me. "Ahhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhh!" I screamed not knowing what else to say. I wondered if he knew how stupid and ignorant he was being. We got in these fights a lot. They usually ended with me getting so fed up with every he was saying and just yelling at the top of my lungs. It's so annoying how he thinks he is more mature then I am. I am fifteen, and he's seventeen, but he acts like he is twenty years older then me. My first memory was on a train. I remember being really scared, but I don't remember why. I was holding tightly to the hand of the person next to me. I'm pretty sure it was Skittery. When I was around ten Skittery told me that was the day we ran away. I asked him why, but to this day he won't tell me. Every time I bring it up he gets quiet and won't say anything. He tries to protect me from anything and everything that might make me unhappy. We stay at the Manhattan Newsboy's House. Even tough there isn't suppose to be any girls there. I was only five when Skittery and I first came to the lodging house. At first Kloppman said that I could stay, but after he saw me and Skittery begged for two hours he agreed. Kloppman was always looking out for me though. While Skittery was out selling papes I would stay at the lodging house with Kloppman. We'd clean and run errands, and I enjoyed being with Kloppman. But a couple of years ago I decided I wanted to be a newsie too. Kloppman was my only friend and he was worried about me selling, but after two weeks of convincing he agreed. I didn't really know any of the boys at the lodging house that well except Skittery of course. I knew all their names and what they were like, but none of them were really my friends. They were all very nice to me though. I asked Skittery if I could sell with him, but he said that I had to stay with Kloppman. But I wanted to become a newsie with or without Skittery's help. So I followed the newsies to the distribution counter one day. I was dressed like a boy, like always, so no one noticed me or so I thought. After I bought my papes a kid named Swifty came up to me and asked me what I was doing there. I recognized him from the lodging house. "Sellin papes. You?" I said like that was the dumbest question I ever heard and I sold papes all the time. He laughed. "You'se never done dis before have you'se?' he asked. He continued without waiting for an answer he knew what it was already. "I'se show ya how!" I learned a lot that day unfortunately Skittery beat us back to the lodging house. He was running around looking everywhere for me. I thought he was going to kill Swifty when we walked in together. Skittery told me that I wasn't allowed to sell papes again, but sure enough the next day I was out selling papes with Swifty, but that day we beat Skittery back to the lodging house. Swifty and I were becoming really good friends. He was the second friend I ever had in my life. Kloppman was my first friend. I don't really consider Skittery my friend he's more then a friend. He's my brother. He's also more annoying then Kloppman and Swifty. I have been selling papes for about two years, and every once in while Skittery would catch me coming back to the lodging house. Today was one of those days. 


	2. Chapter 2: Getting Away

Chapter 2: Getting Away He exploded at me, and he was fuming I stared to cry. I'd never seen him so angry before. "How could you do this? You can hurt yourself out there on the streets or you could get lost! Why won't you listen to me? What would I do without you? Do you care about anybody besides yourself? You're a selfish little bit-" "What? What were you saying?" I asked cutting him off on purpose. He stood there dazed at what he was about to say. Tears were streaming down my face. "I.. I didn't mean that." He stammered. "Oh Skittery I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" I yelled as loud as I could coughing on my words from crying so hard. "You don't mean that!" he said "Yes, I do I hate you I hate you. You're horrible and I hate you!" "Stop it! Shut up!" I really felt like I hated him. He was the only person who I have ever loved, but I was so tried of him. I couldn't stand him always telling me what I could and couldn't do. He's a bastard and I hate him. "Please, I sorry," he said, "I love you." "I uhh. uhh." I didn't know what to say. I was starting to feel bad about hating him. He always did this got me so mad and then apologize. I wasn't going to forgive him this time. I was going to do something about it. "I can't believe you! I hate you! You can't control me!" I yelled and ran out of the lodging house. He was running after me. I knew he would. I didn't know how I was going to get away from him. He could out run me with a broken leg. It's not that I was really slow, but I wasn't very strong. I was constantly getting sick ever since I was little, and on top of that Skittery was the fastest in all of New York or so I thought. Suddenly I felt myself being picked up off the ground. I was moving so fast I couldn't see where I was going. Then I started to get scared. I didn't feel angry anymore. I wanted Skittery. Why did I decide to runaway? Skittery is probably right anyways. In fact I know he's right. You never know what strangers can do to you. It seemed like we had been running for an hour then suddenly I was drop onto the ground, hard. I hit me elbow on a piece of glass, and now blooding a trickling down my arm. I suddenly realized I was in a dark alley. I remember Skittery telling me never to go into dark alleys, even with some one I know. I was starting to cry again. I didn't know where I was, but I was pretty sure I wasn't in Manhattan anymore. "He's gone. Don't ya worrys ya self," said a boy who I just realized was sitting right next to me. "Who... who are ya?" I asked now absolutely terrified. "What's it madda I saved ya. Now ain't ya gunna thank me?" Before I had a chance to say anything he was on top of me ripping off my shirt. I screamed at the top of my lungs, even though I was pretty sure no one could hear me. Within seconds I could hear footsteps coming towards us. Skittery I thought. He was here to save me! "Get your filthy hands off 'er!" yelled a voice too strong and bold to be Skittery's. The guy on top of me practically bolted off me. He started running down the alley, but the kid who had come to save me jumped on top of him and started punching him in the face. Blood was pouring from his nose and mouth. I had never seen so much blood in my entire life and my stomach started to turn. I had to look away to keep form throwing up. My hero must have heard me gasp, because he got off the other kid and apologize that I had to see that. He gave the kid one last kick in the side and stared to walk away. I couldn't speak. I just wanted to get out of the alley. "Hey," I whispered finally finding my voice,"thank you." He turned around and looked into my eyes. "Ya know ya shouldn't hang out with dat kinda fella id dis kinda place," he said starting to walk away again. "Wait," I said, "who are ya? Where am I?" He paused. His eyes looked sadly into mine. "The names Rage. I'se da leader of da Midtown newsies. I guess you can see how I'se got me nickname," he said smiling. "And you'se in Midtown if ya didn't figure that out by yaself." "My names Drizz," I said getting to my feet. "Where ya going?" I asked as he started to walk away again. "Do ya gots a job?" he asked instead of answering my question. "I'se a newsies.in Manhattan," I replied "Then why ya here?" he asked "Well, my brudder doesn't want me ta be a newsies, but I'se am anyway. He always yells at me when he sees me selling, and we fight, and he always says-" "Did ya run away?" he asked cutting me off. I nodded. "Come on," he said grabbing my hand. He walked me out of the alley and onto the street getting a few suspicious looks. I was starting to miss Skittery less and less as we walked down the street together.  
  
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	3. Chapter 3: A Different Life

Chapter 3: A Different Life Skittery returned to the lodging house completely exhausted. He was right behind her, and then she turned a corner and was gone.gone. Where did she go? She just disappeared. He looked everywhere is Manhattan, but she was nowhere to be found. Swifty seeing Skittery come back empty handed turned pale.  
"Where is she!" he yelled his voice cracking.  
"I dunno," Skittery said quietly.  
"What do ya mean ya dunno!" Swifty yelled his voice still cracking.  
"I dunno!" Skittery yelled so loudly the lodging house shook. Swifty ran out of the room. Skittery went and sat on his bed tears were starting to trickle down his cheeks. Where could she be? She could be alone or kidnapped or lost. It was all his fault. He would never forgive himself if he didn't find her. No one talked to Skittery that night or the next morning when they got up. They knew he wasn't in the mood to talk. He wasn't his usual self, but no one could blame him for that. They all knew it was Drizz. Even though most of them didn't know her that well they felt responsible for her, and the lodging house wasn't complete without her there.  
  
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Chapter "This is da goil's lodging house. Mines across da street," Rage told me as we entered a pretty old looking building almost identical to the Manhattan lodging house. He went over and talked to a girl who was sitting on the stairs. She had red hair tie up in the back, and she had green eyes. My hair was always down, because when I tried to put it up it looked bad, so it was just easier to leave it down. They talked to awhile. I just waited patiently by the door. Patients isn't one of my natural gifts though. Finally they stopped talking, and they walked over to me.  
"Hey this is Flare. She is da leader 'round here. She'll get ya a bunk," Rage said to me.  
"Okay," I replied. I wasn't use to living with girls. The first time I had my period Skittery took me to the hospital. It would be nice to be around girls for the first time in my life.  
"Oh an' Drizz meet mes at da door in a half and hour and I'll take ya to da diner," he said smiling.  
"That'd be great," I said smiling. I was starving. Flare let out a short laugh, but quick drew it in when she saw how he looked at me.  
"Come on," she said taking hand and pulling me up the stairs with her. I turned around to see Rage show himself to the door. We walked in the door on the right. The door on the left in is the washroom.  
"This us gunna be your bed," Flare told me pointing to the bottom bed on the right three rows down. I thanked her and she introduced to all the news goils in the house. Flare was nice, and she talked a lot. The goil who sleep above me name was Kink. She was really polite. She had light brown and brown eyes like me. She talked to me a lot. I told her I was going to the diner with Rage, so she took me to the washroom. She let me use her soap to wash my hands and face. She put my hair up and let me borrow one of her dresses since all I had was my brown cut-off pants, a light green shirt, striped suspenders, and a vest. Kink and I got along really well, and I could tell she was going to become my good friend. When we walked to the door together Rage was already there waiting for me.  
"What happened to da dirty little goil I found in da alley?" he asked his mouth hanging opened. Kink gave me a "what is he talking about look."  
"Tell ya lata tonight," I whispered in her ear. Rage and I walked out of the lodging house leaving a confuse Kink behind.  
"Sorry," Rage said quietly were out of earshot," I wasn't thinking."  
"It's alright. She's really nice, and I don't mind telling her," I said," I'se planning on telling her how I gots there anyways, so it didn't really madder."  
Then we reached the diner we got a table in the front so we could look out the window. I don't miss Skittery at all anymore. I am happy were I am. I have friends and I can do anything I want. It's great. I can be a newsies without sneaking around behind Skittery's back. His life would be easier now too. He doesn't have to worry about taking care of me or anything. He's free.  
Rage and I ordered our meals. While waiting for our food we talked, (duh) He told me about his life. When he was little he lived with his parents. They were really rich and they were always doing stuff together, going to the park, going fishing, going swimming, and stuff like that. Soon they started spending lee money and going less places. His parents were barely spending any time with him anymore. He started to get lonely. He didn't really have any friends or any one to talk to. One night, when he was seven, his parents had to go to a meeting or something. He waited up for them, but they never came back. At around midnight the police came and took him to live with his aunt. They told him his parents were murdered. That wasn't an easy thing for him to take. He wouldn't talk to any one. His aunt use to beat him, because he wouldn't talk to her, that made him want to talk less. He didn't talk to any people for three years. The only thing he talked to was his aunt's cat. His aunt hadn't feed him a whole week when he was ten in a attempt to make him talk, when he didn't she beat him. He had bruises all over his body; his mouth and nose were bleeding. While his aunt went into the kitchen to get a new wooden spoon, because the one she was using was broken, he made a run for it. Well he couldn't really run. It was more like a limp for it. He went and hid in an alley. The same one he had found me in. He still went there sometimes. He wasn't sure why he just did. He went to the lodging house and a guy named Slick was the leader of the newsies at that time, and he became friends with him. Slick was the person who should Rage how to be a newsies. After that Slick left the life of a newsie, got married, had kids, and got a really job. He gave his position as the Mid-town Newsies leader to Rage. That's how he got where he is now. His aunt never did anything to try and find him. He thinks she was waiting for him to run away he told me laughing. I don't understand why not being wanted was funny though. And furthermore I don't understand why anybody wouldn't want Rage.  
"Well if she didn't want ya then she is stupid," I said honestly. Rage smiled and reached his hand across the table to hold mine.  
We had gotten our food during his story and I was almost done, but he barely touched his food. I figured it was my turn, because he stopped talking. I figured this way he would get a chance to eat too, but when I started telling him my story he still didn't eat. He was just staring at me. I think he was listening, but I don't think what I was saying was going into his head, so I stopped talking.  
"Keep goin," he said innocently like I had stopped in the middle of his bedtime story, because I thought he was asleep. I started talking again, but I still wasn't sure he was listening to me. When I finished my story we left the diner for "home." We didn't talk much on the way to the lodging house. It was cold out though, so he put his arm around my shoulders in a successful attempt to keep me warm. It was dark outside and the streets were mostly empty which was quite alright with me. I was glad to be with Rage without him I would be totally lost again. We stopped in front of the girls' lodging house.  
"Goodnight," I said smiling.  
  
"See ya tomorrow?" he said "Of course," I said still smiling," thanks. for everything." He kissed me on the cheek and turned and started walking to the boys' lodging house. My heart was pounding so loudly I could hear; at least I thought I could hear it. I ran upstairs to see Kink. I told her all about my night and thanked her again for letting me use her dress. (Well I left out all of Rage's story and mine, but you know what I mean) She laughed a little when I finished before saying anything. "So," she said in a round about way," what did Rage mean when he said 'what happened to da dirty little goil I found in da alley'?" I looked at her hard trying to make sure I could trust her. She had been waiting to ask me that all night, and I knew I owed her the truth. I leaned over and whispered in her ear my story about running away and the alley. Oh was all that she could say. Then she hugged me, we exchanged goodnights, and went to bed. Most of the girls were in bed or getting ready for bed. I wasn't sure what time it was now or what time me and Rage got back, but I didn't really care. I was just glad to have time to think before I drifted off to sleep. 


End file.
